Toothbrush



April 19, 1932. os-r Rs 1,854,264-

TOOTHBRUSH Filed March 27, 1930 mmf 23 1 I INVENTOR.

I QZZuw QZZuU ATTORNEYS I Patented Apr. 19, 1932 PATET FFICE.

GEORGE J. KOSTERS, OF GOVINGTON, KENTUCKY TOOT'HBRUSH Application filed March 27, 1930. Serial No. 439,443.

My invention is related to tooth brushes particularly providing means for cleaning the inner side of the teeth. It is a fact that the inside of teeth are frequently not prop- 5 erly brushed by reason of the fact that it is difficult to reach them with the ordinary tooth brush. To attempt to reach all parts of the inside of the teeth with the ordinary .tooth brush necessitates not only a frequent change in position of the brush in the hand, but also the exercise of motions which are awkward for the average person, for which reason the inside of the teeth are most frequently neglected. Tooth brushes have been proposed comprising both inner and outer sections adapted to brush both sides of the teeth at the same time, but these brushes have not met with any great favor because they do not eliminate the awkward motions necessary for the purpose. The primary object of my invention is the provision of means for brushing the inside of the teeth, which means are guided 5 so that only a very simple motion is required on the part of the operator. Another object of my invention is the provision of guiding means for a brush, whereby the brushing of the inside of the teeth is facilitated. Ancillary objects of my invention are the provision of brushing and guiding means which are adjustable to the mouth of the user, 'so that my brush need not be made in more than two or three sizes at most, and a pro- 35 vision, where required, of brushing means whereby both the inside and the outside of the teeth may be brushed at the same time. These and other objects of my invention 'which will be pointed out hereinafter or will 1 L be apparent to one skilled in the art upon reading these specifications, I accomplish by that certain construction and arrangement of parts of which I shall now describe a preferred embodiment and a modification there- 46 of, reference being had to the drawings which Figure 3 is a modified and preferred form of my brush.

Figure 4 is a perspective View of a brush section showing the construction thereof.

Broadly, in my invention I provide guiding meanswhich are held by the teeth of the user, and brushing means which are guided in their motion by the guiding means, so as to reach all parts of the inside of theteeth, and so as to require only very simple motions on the part of the user, as shall hereinafter be made more clear.

In the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2 I have shown a back plate or bar 1 to which'is centrally pivoted a handle 2 bearing a brush 3. This back bar is adapted to be inserted in the mouth and clamped between the back teeth. The rearmost portion 4 thereof is closed, but the other parts are bifurcated for a purpose which will presently appear. A pair of semicircular plates 5 form a part of the back bar and in general follow the line of the teeth. They may be integral with the back bar or may be held therein between bifurcated portions thereof by means of suitable screws. I prefer to form my back bar and plates in two portions which themselves are integral, as shown in Figure 1, and to fasten the two portions together by means of screws 6 as shown in Figure 2. These plates may bear at their forward end abutments 7 A central extension, also bifurcated, is produced on the back bar and is designed to serve as a pivot member for the handle. A roller member 9 is pivoted in the bifurcated extension 8 by being provided with shoulders 10 which are engaged in recesses 11. The roller has a central slot indicated at 12, through which the end of the handle 2 is passed. The handle end bears a slot 13, and a pivot pin 14 is passed through bifurcated portions 8 of the back plate, the roller 10, and the slot 18 in the'handle as indicated. Thus the handle by means of the roller 10, is pivoted for rotary motion on the back bar, but may slide in and out during the rotary motion, the pin 14 sliding in the slot 13 thereof, as will be clear. I prefer to enlarge the slot in the roller 10 toward each side fanwise as shown in Figure 1 so as to provide for some vertical play in the handle.

The brush 13 is curved in shape as shown, and is provided with outwardly extending bristles 15.

In use, the device is placed in the mouth, with the back bar extending rearwardly; and the back bar is clamped by the rear teeth, the front teeth engaging behind the abutment T The brush is then operated by swinging the handle about the pivot 10, as will be readily understood. The bristles l bear against the inside of the teeth and only a slight outwart pull of the handle 2 is necessary to insure proper contact. The brush 3 is pivoted on the handle by means of a pin 16, whereby the brush may rock with respect to the handle so as to conform to irregularities of the teeth.

A somewhat modified, simpler, and preferred form of my invention is shown in Fig. 3, wherein the back plate 1 and the pivot construction is retained, but the plates 5 and abutment 7 are eliminated. The brush 3 is pivoted to the handle by the pin 16 and, if desired, a second semi-circular brush 1'? with the bristles pointing inwardly may also be pivoted on the handle by a pin 18. This type of brush is preferred by me because its construction is simpler, and because it has the advantage of permitting not only a rotary or longitudinal motion of the brush r brushes with respect to the teeth, but also because it permits an up and down motion thereof, the handle 2 being flexible.

The preferred form of brush construction is shown in Figure l, in which the back of the brush comprises two interspaced semi-circular portions 17a and 176, with a central connecting portion 19 perforated as at 20 for the reception of the handle. The pin 18 is passed down through the back as shown. The interspacing of the back portions 17a and 17b leaves slots 21 whereby the brush may be swung through a wider arc, since these slots will enable the brush or brushes to ride past the ends of the back bar 1. In this way all of the teeth may be brushed, including those in the back of the mouth, which engage and clamp the back bar 1. It will be understood that both the rocking of the brush on the handle and the sliding of the handle with reference to the pivot pin 1 1 enable my brush to accommodate itself to irregularities in the teeth or to months of different shape. The slot 13, as will be seen, is fairly long, and thus my brush is adaptable to months of various sizes, and for general purposes only two or three sizes of brush need be made. The back bar, of course, depresses the tongue and keeps it out of the way of the brushing mechanism.

I may, if desired, avoid the use of metal in the construction of my device, and in any event I prefer to make the back bar 1 of some semi-resilient material such as a molded product, or a semi-hard rubber, or to place in the back bar inserts of rubber or the like to be engaged by the teeth. The handle 2 may be of metal if desired, or of some other substance. In the modification of Figure 3 it is preferably resilient so as to permit an up and down motion of the brush or brushes even while the back bar 1 is clamped tightly by the teeth. The backs of the brush members may be made of bone, celluloid, casein or other suitable substance for making tooth brushes, and the bristles are inserted and held in any suitable manner. On the out-er end of the handle 2 there is preferably aliiXed some gripping device which may, if desired, be integral with the handle. In Figures 1 and 2 I have shown the handle 2 rolled as at 22 to form a suitable grip, and in Fig. 3 I have shown a gripping device 23 molded in place upon the handle 2.

It will thus be clear that the manner of use of my device is simple. The back bar is inserted in the mouth and held between the back teeth. The brush, where only one brush is used, is brought against the inside of the teeth, and where two brushes are used the teeth are brought between them. Then the device is operated by merely swinging the handle about the pivot pin on the back bar,

teeth apart sufiiciently to permit this motion.

There is required no change of position of my device in the mouth or in the hands, and the brushing of the teeth is made very simple by reason of the fact that the brushes are guided in the mouth. My device, being of simple construction, is easily cleaned by flushing with water.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a tooth brush, a back bar adapted to be gripped by the rear teeth, a handle centrally pivoted on said back bar, and brushing means for the inside of the teeth attached to said handle.

2. In a tooth brush, a back bar adapted to be gripped by the rear teeth, a handle centrally pivoted on said back bar, and brushing means for the inside of the teeth attached to said handle, said handle being slidable longitudinally upon said pivot.

3. In a tooth brush, a back bar adapted to be gripped by the rear teeth, ahandle slidably pivoted centrally of said back bar, and a brush head centrally pivoted on said handle.

thus brushing all of the teeth. l/Vhere one';

4. In a tooth brush, a back bar adapted to be engaged by the rear teeth, a handle slidably pivoted centrally of said back bar, and a pair of brush heads with opposed bristles at tached to said handle.

5. In a tooth brush, a back bar adapted to be gripped by the rear teeth, and having a centrally formed extension, a roller pivoted in said extension, a handle member passing through said roller so as to be pivoted thereby and slidable with respect to said roller, and a brush head attached to said handle.

6. In a tooth brush, a back bar adapted to be gripped by the rear teeth, a handle slidably pivoted centrally of said back bar, and a brush head centrally pivoted on said handle, said brush having upper and lower interspaced portions adapted at the ends thereof to ride over and under said back bar.

7. In a tooth brush, a pair of semi-circular plates joined at their rear portion to form a back bar to be held between the upper and lower teeth, abutments on said plates adapted to lie against the outsides of the teeth, a handle member pivoted on said back bar and lying between said plates, and brush means pivoted on said handle to the rear of said abutments and adapted to contact with the insides of the teeth.

GEORGE J. KOSTERS. 

